Acting president Han holds 1st Cabinet meeting amid opposition pressure

Acting President Han Duck-soo on Tuesday faced mounting pressure from the liberal bloc to approve the six contentious bills introduced by the opposition, as he presided over his first regular Cabinet meeting after assuming the role as acting president. Prime Minister Han immediately assumed the role of acting president following President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment by the National Assembly on Saturday, in accordance with the Constitution. The six bills, which were passed in the opposition-

PoliticsDec. 17, 2024

Character actor Ra Mi-ran receives Women in Film honor

Actor Ra Mi-ran was awarded the Film Artist of the Year honor at the Women in Film Korea festival on Monday, in recognition of her achievements as one of the industry’s most versatile and reliable performers. Known for her seamless transition between comedy and drama, Ra has built a reputation for portraying characters with authenticity and depth, often stealing scenes with her nuanced performances. Ra’s rise has been anything but overnight. After years in theater, she spent nearly a

FilmDec. 17, 2024

Yoon impeachment trial’s presiding justice under spotlight

With South Korea’s Constitutional Court prioritizing President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment proceedings, concerns surfaced over the role and potential influence of Justice Jeong Hyeong-sik, the chief justice in Yoon’s trial. Jeong, 63, was directly appointed by Yoon in December last year for a six-year term. Though the president seems to have no direct ties with the justice, they are connected through Park Sun-young, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Park was app

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2024

Celltrion launches CDMO subsidiary to drive growth beyond biosimilars

Celltrion Group has launched a new contract development and manufacturing organization, Celltrion BioSolutions, signaling its strategic ambition to position CDMO services as the group’s next growth engine beyond its core biosimilar business. "We will start contract research and development services from 2025, with the facility construction set to start by the first half. By 2030, we aim to record 1.5 trillion won ($1.04 billion) in CDMO business," Chairman Seo Jung-jin said durin

IndustryDec. 17, 2024

Yoon to appear in court, lawyer decries investigation 'frenzy'

  President Yoon Suk Yeol will head to the Constitutional Court to deliver his stance on the impeachment resolution, his lawyer told reporters on Tuesday, calling the ongoing investigations into the alleged insurrection a "frenzy." Seok Dong-hyun, a known confidant of Yoon who was appointed as his lawyer, said that Yoon will “convey his stance in court confidently and with conviction,” stating that the insurrection charges cannot be established. Though the date for pub

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2024

Looking for Korean friends? Check out Karrot

Karrot, the go-to app for buying and selling secondhand items, is increasingly becoming a hub for forging friendships, particularly among foreigners seeking language exchange opportunities in South Korea. In Seoul's Yongsan-gu on Tuesday, a search for “Korean friends” revealed several postings reflecting a growing trend of cross-cultural connections on the app, which is South Korea's largest community marketplace platform. One user, identified as "chamhug," wrot

TechnologyDec. 17, 2024

Hanmi Semiconductor heir promoted to chairman

Hanmi Semiconductor Vice Chair Kwak Dong-shin has been promoted to take the helm of the chip packaging equipment maker, after leading the development and launch of a flagship product used in producing next-generation artificial intelligence DRAM chips. Kwak joined the company in 1998, eight years after his late father Kwak Noh-kwon founded the company in 1980. Kwak Dong-shin has been the effective leader of the chip equipment firm since 2007, when his father stepped back from front-line manageme

IndustryDec. 17, 2024

LG hires Capitol Counsel to strengthen Washington ties

South Korean electronics giant LG Electronics's Washington office has hired a new lobbying firm in the US to bolster its negotiating leverage with Washington, amid rising concerns over US President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats. According to a US disclosure report Tuesday, LG Electronics USA, the company’s US arm, has recently hired Capitol Counsel, a government relations firm in Washington, to lobby on trade and supply chain issues. Lisa Whisler, a lobbyist at the Capitol

IndustryDec. 17, 2024

Ministry unveils workplace safety pictograms for foreign workers

The Ministry of Employment and Labor, in collaboration with the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, announced Tuesday the rollout of 20 safety signs, or pictograms, designed to help foreign national workers easily identify workplace hazards and precautions, regardless of proficiency in the Korean language. These pictograms will be distributed to workplaces employing foreign workers particularly in manufacturing industries. Those pictograms were created based on feedback collected from m

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2024

Economy's biggest fear is uncertainty, says SK chief

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, who also heads the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on Tuesday urged policymakers to ensure consistent economic policies to support businesses amid growing uncertainty following the National Assembly’s impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law decree. During a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, Chey relayed the business community’s concerns regarding stalled economic bills and the challenge of navigati

IndustryDec. 17, 2024

Cold snap to hit S. Korea from Wednesday

The prolonged cold temperatures are set to intensify nationwide starting Wednesday, with temperatures feeling as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius set to continue until the end of December. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, morning lows on Wednesday will range between minus 12 C and 1 C nationwide, with temperatures in some parts of the Greater Seoul area feeling as low as minus 14 C. Daytime temperatures will hover between minus 1 C and 7 C -- but such temperatures are expecte

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2024

HD Hyundai 1% Nanum Foundation honors charity heroes

The HD Hyundai 1% Nanum Foundation held its annual HD Hyundai Honor Awards ceremony on Tuesday, recognizing “citizen heroes” who have selflessly supported those in need. This year’s grand prize was awarded to the Purme Foundation. Since 2005, Purme has been a driving force in supporting people who live with disabilities. It has supported rehabilitation treatments for over 600,000 children and has operated a smart farm that provides employment opportunities for young adults with

IndustryDec. 17, 2024

Arrest warrant issued for ex-Army chief

A military court on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for Army Gen. Park An-su, formerly Army chief of staff, on charges related to his involvement in impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's Dec. 3 martial law declaration. The arrest warrant was initially sought by the prosecution's special investigation unit probing Yoon's martial law decree on Sunday. Park has been suspended from his position as Army chief of staff since Thursday, as the Defense Ministry deemed him unable to perform

DefenseDec. 17, 2024

Ikea walks back plan to build Asia's largest logistics hub in Korea

Ikea Korea has scrapped its project to establish a multipurpose logistics center in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, four years after its initial announcement of housing Asia's largest logistics hub in South Korea. In its latest audit report, covering September 2023 to August 2024, the Swedish home furnishing retailer announced its withdrawal from the Pyeongtaek logistics project, reclassifying the 102,000-square-meter site for the planned logistics center, valued at 55.5 billion won ($38.6 m

IndustryDec. 17, 2024

Korea Tourism Organization pitches tech tourism

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) is ramping up technology-driven initiatives to support tourism companies grappling with persistent labor shortages, a key challenge since the post-pandemic recovery began in early 2023. Kwon Jong-sool, executive director of the KTO’s company support division, said this year’s focus on funding businesses to implement food delivery robots has shown promising results. One success story is St. John’s Hotel, a 1,901-room facility in Gangneung, Ga

TravelDec. 17, 2024

F-15K upgrade to cost W1tr extra due to inflation: DAPA

The budget for a project to enhance the South Korean Air Force's key fighter aircraft, the F-15K, has risen by over 1 trillion won ($697 million) due to increasing labor and material costs in the defense industry, according to the country's arms procurement agency. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced that the agency's defense acquisition program promotion committee has approved the final plan for the project on Monday. With a focus on improving the key aviatio

DefenseDec. 17, 2024

Popular Korean entertainment shows return with new series

A wave of Korean entertainment show sequels is set to dominate television screens at the end of this year and early next year. JTBC’s popular entertainment show "Chef & My Fridge," one of the first programs to spotlight chefs in Korea, made a long-anticipated comeback with its first episode on Sunday. Known for its unique premise -- celebrities' actual refrigerators are brought to the studio, where chefs engage in an intense cook-off using only the ingredients inside --

TelevisionDec. 17, 2024

US approves $9.63b loan to SK On, Ford’s battery joint venture

BlueOval SK, a joint venture between SK On and Ford Motor Co., received approval from the US Department of Energy for a $9.63 billion loan Monday, securing funds to construct three battery manufacturing plants in the US. The loan is part of the government’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program, which offers low-cost loans with an interest rate equivalent to the US 10-year Treasury bond, currently around 4 percent, according to sources. The program targets companies producing

MobilityDec. 17, 2024

Government to citizens: Relax and enjoy year-end gatherings

Politicians and government officials alike are encouraging South Koreans not to cancel their regular year-end meetings, after the Dec. 3 martial law and subsequent political turmoil brought a fall in the country's restaurant sales. Reports have indicated that small enterprises in particular have been hit hard in the aftermath of President Yoon Suk Yeol's recent declaration of martial law. The Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise on Sunday released a statement that small business owne

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2024

[Photo News] Hana joins W100b donor club

Hana Financial Group has joined the Community Chest of Korea's 100 billion won ($69.6 million) donation club for the nonprofit's "Hope Sharing Campaign," contributing approximately 113.5 billion won since 2003. This includes 15 billion won donated Tuesday as part of the "2025 Hope Sharing Campaign," which supports underrepresented communities and promotes a sustainable future. In the photo, Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo (left) poses with Community Ches

IndustryDec. 17, 2024